


Picture Perfect

by quasiouster (QuasiOuster)



Series: Pictures and Images [1]
Category: The Good Doctor (TV 2017)
Genre: Established Relationship, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-25
Updated: 2020-04-25
Packaged: 2021-03-01 17:34:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,106
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23830909
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/QuasiOuster/pseuds/quasiouster
Summary: Neil has a surprise for Claire, but is she ready for it?
Relationships: Claire Browne & Neil Melendez, Claire Browne/Neil Melendez
Series: Pictures and Images [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1718356
Comments: 18
Kudos: 74





	Picture Perfect

**Author's Note:**

> This idea of writing short scenes centered around a theme popped in my head a couple days ago. I'll probably make it a story series as I go along, but it's a good exercise in writing quick little one-shots and not spending a ton of time editing them as I tend to do (I wrote this in a couple hours so apologies for any errors/typos). I thought about sticking this in the universe of one of my other stories, but I think it works for most of them. I'm simultaneously working on a couple of other multi-chapter stories, one of which I'm trying to finish up this weekend so stay tuned for that. 
> 
> Hope you enjoy!

Claire strolled into Neil’s office, fiddling with the top of her travel mug. With rounds finished for the morning and an afternoon surgery that didn’t need her full attention for another hour or so, she’d taken a trip downstairs to refuel on her daily quota of coffee.

He’d “summoned” her as soon as he’d arrived at the hospital for his shift, and she’d taken her time complying. It would not do to have him thinking she was at his beck and call. No matter how much Claire enjoyed seeing him at any given moment during her day, he’d be absolutely incorrigible with that kind of power over her. In fact, it confused her why he hadn’t mentioned needing to consult on anything this morning when she’d left his house for work, taking her own car. Her team meeting yesterday afternoon suggested a late night, and he said he had an errand to run before work anyway.

They’d fallen into a nice routine in their relatively new relationship in terms of coordinating their sleepovers. Rare were the days where they slept alone anymore. He liked the coziness of her apartment where they’d spent many hours cuddling on her couch, which was worlds more comfortable than his sleek furnishings. All their best meals tended to happen at his place where they’d taken to eating on his enclosed patio to enjoy the view. She rather preferred her bed for sleeping, not just because she liked her mattress better, but because she kept her room colder, inviting them to burrow under the covers together, entwined for warmth and sexy snuggling. But if they were feeling particularly hot for each other, there was no beating the benefits of having sex in an actual house where they could be as loud and destructive as they wanted.

Neil grinned at her when she came into his office, a little too smugly for her liking. She plopped down in one of the chairs in front of his desk instantly suspicious.

“You rang, sir?” she asked with a hint of humor.

Neil beamed at her. “I haven’t heard you call me that in a long time. I have to say, I rather like it now.” Claire rolled her eyes at his cheeky response. “I’ve got something to show you.” he added.

Leaning back in the chair, Claire finally noticed a plain, flat box on top of his desk. She couldn’t imagine what it was, but his giddy behavior in the last 30 seconds made her rather curious.

“Does this surprise have anything to do with why you’re mugging like it’s Christmas morning?” Neil shrugged. “Okay, I’ll play along. I do like surprises.”

He winked at her. “I’ll keep that in mind. Open the box,” he directed.

Claire reached over and pulled the box toward her, clawing at the seams so she could pop the cover off. Tossing the top on his desk, she reached in to find a frame, which she carefully pulled out.

Cradled in her hands is a picture … of herself.

“Uh, this is nice, I guess.” Neil laughed at her confusion and moved from his office chair to perch himself in front of her on the desk. Taking the picture from her hands, he smiled down at the image.

It’d been taken a few months ago when they’d sneaked off to Hawaii together. They’d been quietly seeing each other, so the only people who knew for sure were Lim and HR. Having finished her residency, there were no arguments about Neil being Claire’s boss anymore. And they were the model of professionalism at the hospital and kept things to themselves. At first, it seemed the scenario could only play out for so long before someone found out, but it’d been nine months with no one the wiser.

Each week and then each month, they’d get a little bolder, a little more permanent. Sometimes that looked like dinner out in his neighborhood. Another time it became an invitation to meet his sister during his next visit. A few of his suits in her closet gave way to a drawer and shelf in his bathroom for her. This month had turned into regular shared rides to and from the hospital.

Every milestone felt like a victory for the two of them who had searched so long for a happiness that truly felt like forever. 

Taking the picture from him, she tried to recall when it was taken. They’d rented a bungalow on a less populated island, one that didn’t have the pristine beaches that most people were looking for, but had great options for hikes and runs and the privacy that felt more important than frolicking in the surf. Tilting her head in thought, Claire finally remembered that she’d worn that cover-up as they’d lounged in a hammock for half the day, both intermittently reading books, sipping beers, and napping. Towards the end of the day, he’d gotten frisky and playful, teasing her and making her laugh with antics that seemed so unbecoming of the rigid attending surgeon she’d known for most of their relationship. That’s when he’d taken this picture.

It’s a nice picture, though, she thought to herself. He’d gotten her in profile, a smile pulling at the corner of her lips and the bright sky behind her. The wind caught her hair slightly giving the image a bit of life. Her eyes caught the light as she’d looked out into the ocean, probably commenting to Neil on a boat in the distance or a stray couple or family hanging out at the resort about a half mile from their rental.

And when she thought about that moment, she also thought of how they’d held each other as they'd watched the sunset amid fevered kisses and lots of groping in the hammock. That led to them scurrying inside to make love multiple times before and after a leisurely dinner.

Best vacation ever.

Shaking away those very pleasant memories before she got a little too hot for the workplace, she glanced back up at Neil. If she were to guess, he’d gotten a bit lost in his recollections as well judging by the flustered crimson in his cheeks.

“Uh, thanks for the picture of myself, I guess,” she stammered, not sure what to make of the gift.

Neil snatched the picture back from her. “Oh, it’s not for you, technically. It’s for me.”

“Okay.” Claire scoffed and crossed her arms. “I guess I’ll keep my gift expectations low when my birthday rolls around.”

He laughed and held the frame up to admire. Then he popped out the back flap and placed it on his desk at the corner. She watched as he moved around the placement of the frame and leaned back to admire the view, adjusted the picture again, and then nodded in satisfaction. He swiveled his attention back to her to assess her reaction.

“Neil, what’s all this about?” she probed. “You know you can’t keep that there.” She scrunched her face up in confusion. Was he trying to give her a heart attack?

“I can’t?” Not taking her bait, his earnest expression seemed genuinely curious. Claire stood up and reached for the picture, only to have him block her way and gently nudge her back into her chair. “Uh uh. This is my desk.”

“You want to fill me in about what’s going on here?”

Neil leveled an intense gaze at her, his heart completely on his sleeve, something she wasn’t used to seeing at work. His expression was full of wonder and love with a hint of desire that flared up without warning when they’re together.

“What’s going on is that I think it’s time. I don’t want to hide anymore.”

Claire sighed. “Shouldn’t we talk about this? It’s kind of a big deal.”

“We’re talking about it now.”

“No, you blindsided me is what you did. With a text message summoning me to your office and then announcing to the world that we’re a thing.”

Neil laughed, “A ‘thing’ huh?” His eyes twinkled.

Shaking her head, Claire straightened in her chair, leaning a little closer into him as if someone was listening in on their conversation. “You know what I mean. This is a major! Are you just going to present this without comment?” she asked, waving at the picture that Neil had adjusted once more. “It invites questions and gossip and all the things that are the whole reason we’re being so careful to keep this to ourselves.”

“Claire, at some point, we’re going to have to bring this out into the light. No matter if we do it today or a year from now, people are going to talk and ask questions and dig for details about what’s going on with us. We can’t stop that. But I’m getting to the point that I don’t want to hide you.” He turned from where he sat on the desk so he could lean slightly into her, probably staving off the impulse to take her hand or pull her into his arms. “Claire, I love you. I’m proud to love you. I don’t want to hide anymore how happy you make me.”

Sometimes Neil frustrated her to distraction. How could she not melt at hearing that kind of declaration from the man she loved?

Neil smiled at her sweetly. “I don’t need to shout it from the rooftops or draw attention to it. I just want to have one small thing to look to every day that reminds me of something – of someone – that cuts through all the noise. When things are crazy or sad or amazing, I’ll have that to remind me of what’s important. I don’t care what other people think or say. This is for me. For us.”

They sat silently thinking about his words, his admissions. She fidgeted in her chair, moving so that her foot rests next to his leg, a slight pressure to represent how much she’d like to be in his arms right now. Neil looked over to see if anyone was walking by or if any of the boardrooms next to his office were occupied before reaching down to take her hand. He quickly kissed her fingers. Once and then again before placing her hand back on her knee.

“If you’re not ready, I’ll take it down. I don’t want to make anything more difficult for you. Or push you into something you’re not ready for.”

She leaned her head back against the chair, a quiet groan escaping her lips “Why are you so annoyingly wonderful?”

The unexpected question makes him chuckle. “It’s a gift. And you’re a pretty compelling muse.”

“Stop!” she joked, laughing. She lifted her head back up and met his serious gaze, taking in his sincerity and his affection. “Okay.”

“Okay?”

“Okay! Put your stupid picture up.”

Neil laughs. “You mean, _your_ stupid picture. And don’t mind if I do.” He runs his fingers along the top of the frame and flashes her a smile. “We can talk about it more when we get home if you want.”

They both were taken by a surprise at the casualness of his observation, the idea that no matter whose place they were at, if they were together it was home. Neil looked a little concerned, probably hoping that he hadn’t completely overwhelmed her.

But Claire only felt his love and hers for him. God, she could get used to this.

“I’m okay with it, I swear. A little surprised and annoyed with your tactics, but I’m okay with it. And I love you too. I guess when you put it out there, I don’t really mind who knows that.”

Neil’s expression softened at her admission. Maybe she could make him melt sometimes too.

“But, I’m re-directing any and all stupid questions to you,” she assured him.

“Fair enough,” he agreed. “And we can pick out an appropriate picture of me to, I don’t know, pin up in your locker. I think it’s a good alternative until you get your own office.” Claire stood up and shoved him in the arm at his dumb humor. “Or we can talk tattoos.”

She checks her phone, sees a couple of non-urgent messages but figures she should take care of them before she got bogged down with her surgery. “You are ridiculous,” she replied, heading toward the door. “We will definitely talk about this later.” She reached for the door handle, but turned back to him where he still sat on the edge of his desk. “See you at home.”

His megawatt smile in response stays with her through the entire day.


End file.
